Surgeons from the Scottish region and the US Accomplish World-First Brain Operation Using Automated Technology
Doctors from the Scottish region and America have successfully completed what is thought of as a pioneering stroke procedure using a robot.
The lead surgeon, from a medical institution, performed the remote thrombectomy - the elimination of vascular blockages following a brain attack - on a donated body that had been provided for research.
The professor was working from a medical facility in the location, while the specimen being treated with the machine was at another location at the research facility.
Later that day, Ricardo Hanel from Florida utilized the system to carry out the first transatlantic surgery from his Jacksonville base on a donated cadaver in Dundee over 4,000 miles away.
The medical group has labeled it a potential "game changer" if it gains clearance for use on patients.
The surgeons think this technology could transform stroke treatment, as a limited availability of professional intervention can have a significant effect on the healing potential.
"It seemed like we were seeing the early preview of the next generation," said the medical expert.
"Whereas before this was thought to be science fiction, we showed that every step of the procedure can now be performed."
The University of Dundee is the worldwide teaching facility of the international stroke organization, and is the sole location in the UK where surgeons can treat medical specimens with human blood circulated in the arteries to mimic treatment on a live human.
"This was the first time that we could conduct the entire surgical process in a genuine medical subject to prove that each stage of the operation are achievable," stated Prof Grunwald.
A charity executive, the chief executive of a stroke charity, described the long-distance operation as "a significant breakthrough".
"Over extended periods, residents of remote and rural areas have been denied availability to surgical intervention," she added.
"This type of automation could correct the imbalance which persists in brain care nationwide."
What is the operational process?
An brain attack takes place when an vascular pathway is clogged by a blockage.
This disrupts circulation and oxygenation to the cerebral tissue, and neural cells stop functioning and deteriorate.
The optimal therapy is a surgical extraction, where a specialist uses medical instruments to clear the obstruction.
But what occurs when a patient cannot access a expert who can do the procedure?
The medical expert explained the study showed a mechanical device could be linked with the equivalent surgical tools a doctor would typically employ, and a medic who is attending the case could readily join the instruments.
The specialist, in a different place, could then hold and move their own wires, and the mechanical device then performs precisely identical actions in real time on the individual to carry out the clot removal.
The subject would be in a treatment center, while the doctor could conduct the operation via the advanced machine from any place - even their private dwelling.
The medical expert and the neurosurgeon could view live X-rays of the specimen in the studies, and observe results in immediate feedback, with the Dundee expert explaining it took merely twenty minutes of training.
Technology companies prominent manufacturers were participated in the project to ensure the connectivity of the automated system.
"To perform surgery from the US to Scotland with a 120 millisecond lag - a blink of an eye - is truly remarkable," commented the neurosurgeon.
Advancements in brain care
Prof Grunwald, who has been honored for her contributions and is also the executive member of the global healthcare association, stated there were two main problems with a conventional clot removal - a international lack of specialists who can conduct it, and intervention relies upon your geographical position.
In the region, there are just three locations individuals can access the surgery - three major cities. If you reside elsewhere, you must commute.
"The procedure is highly dependent on timing," stated Prof Grunwald.
"For every six minutes of waiting, you have a slightly decreased likelihood of having a good outcome.
"This innovation would now offer a novel approach where you're not reliant upon where you live - saving the precious time where your brain is otherwise dying."
Medical statistics indicated there were {9,625 ischaemic strokes|numerous cerebral events|